Australia is a rugged land known for its spectacular beaches and weather, deadly animals and ‘The Rock’, Uluru – but tourism Australia is about so much more than swimming and dodging crocodiles. We’ve compiled a handy list to help you compare holiday packages Australia and choose just the right tour for your trip Down Under.
Meet the local wildlife
No visit to Australia is complete without a snake or spider bite, or at least getting up close and personal with some wildlife at one of the many zoos to be found in major cities around the country. Feed a kangaroo, cuddle a koala and dance with deadly snakes – only then you can call yourself an honorary Aussie.
Melbourne: The art-savvy city with coffee to die for
With hip urban restaurants, a fashionable arts scene and footy and cricket fanatics, Victoria’s state capital has lampooned its way to the top of the chart for the world’s most liveable cities. Between the graffiti-tagged alleyways and the boutique food markets, the city’s unique edgy style has helped raise its profile to a globally-recognisable city well worth a place at the top of the tourism Australia ladder. Did we mention the coffee?
Learn the lingo
Australians are affectionately known for their unique vernacular used to describe traditional ways of life. If you can manage it, get yourself invited to a backyard barbie, be sun and fly-smart with a cork-strung hat, and ‘have a yarn’ with a local. Bonus points for successful use of the term ‘fair dinkum’, and don’t forget the standard greeting: G’day mate!
Savour stylish Sydney
Flying into Sydney offers one of the greatest window views, with the iconic Opera House sails and Sydney Harbour Bridge a sight for sore, jetlagged eyes. Admire the yachts in the harbour and the ‘coat hanger’ bridge, stroll the historical area The Rocks, and do some serious spending at the hip restaurants and shops to be found in the city raising its own reputation as one of the world’s hottest destinations.
Break the waves at Bondi
Wrestle for a spot on a wave at world-famous Bondi Beach, where macho surfers compete for the perfect ride and put on a show with barrel rolls. Alternatively, flop down on the sand for a fruit smoothie, exercise or a flirt – it’s cool to be seen here, and it’s cool to be here.
Bask in subtropical Brisbane
With origins as a brutal penal settlement, the ‘old country town’ has transcended to a progressive urban centre. CBD high rises straddle between Kangaroo Point and scenic Moreton Bay, with ‘BrisVegas’ restaurants and nightlife as hip and hot as the Sunshine State.
Ferry to Fraser Island
Officially the planet’s largest sand island, 4WD safari tours spin across the 75-mile beach highway over ambulating dunes, past curious dingoes. Fraser Island is all about crystal clear freshwater lakes, white sandy beaches and rainforests, while world-class fishing hooks in visitors by the sand-bucket load.
Slow down at Byron Bay
An eclectic mix of surfer clad free spirits congregate in the small town of Byron, mingling in art galleries and craft markets, tapping their feet to the soundtrack of Jack Johnson. It’s the inescapable traveller stopover on the East Coast, and is home to the most easterly point on the Australian mainland. Keep an open mind.
Sail, snorkel or scuba dive at the Great Barrier Reef
The 2,600 km-long collection of coral is the coastal blue alternative to the red centre of Australia – and is so vast it can be seen from space. Embark on a sailing trip, which inevitably includes the stunning Whitsunday Islands, snorkel or scuba dive with some of the world’s most colourful marine life, and experience one of the earth’s most satisfying marine biology lessons.
Laugh through the Adelaide Fringe Festival
Down Under comedy, arts and music culminate over 24 days in February and March, during ‘Radelaide’’s showcase of southern culture. The enjoyment factor is helped by the free-flowing Shiraz from nearby Barossa Valley, one of the biggest producing wine regions in the southern hemisphere.
Head west for Perth
A perceived Western Australia sleepiness that lacks the tenacity or bustle of Sydney and Melbourne is abruptly awoken by crashing surf, wide-open coastline, and growing riches from nearby resource mines. It’s quieter than its east-coast counterparts, but certainly no longer a Wild West frontier.
Understand Indigenous Australian culture
The Aboriginal people lived on their land up to 70,000 years before the first white explorer ever stepped foot on the sunburnt soil of Australia. Recognising their culture, at peace with nature, is an integral part of understanding Australia. If you’re lucky, you may just hear a digeridoo or two in your travels, or have the chance to try your hand at throwing a boomerang – not as easy as it looks!
Be awestruck at Uluru
Many Aussies haven’t ventured as far as Uluru, or ‘Ayers Rock’, but they’re missing out – this monumental monolith whose many shades glow at every time of day is a spectacular sight any time of year. Don’t miss Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), whose rock domes are just as magical. Nothing can prepare you for your first sighting of the most spiritual landmark in Indigenous Australian culture. All we insist is to go there and find out for yourself.
Take in unique Tasmania
Mainland Oz teasing aside, ‘Tassie’ is not only known for its furry devil, but a dramatic and sweeping wilderness and impressive collection of national parks, as well as the capital Hobart’s intriguing convict heritage roots. Be sure to stop by Cradle Mountain, and keep an eye out for wombats!
Courtney Gahan is a serial expat, traveller and freelance writer who has bartered with Moroccan marketeers, seen the sun rise at Angkor Wat and elbowed her way through crowds on NYE in NYC
